The Sri Lanka College of Specialist Family Physicians will host its second Academic Sessions in September, featuring local and international experts in primary care.
According to a statement, the academic sessions will provide a platform for knowledge exchange, skill development, and the promotion of best practices in primary care.
The Ministry of Health has established a specialist cadre of Board-Certified Family Physicians, significantly enhancing the quality of care provided across the island.
Currently, Consultant Family Physicians stationed at base hospitals provide their expertise to cluster institutions, including divisional hospitals and primary medical care units, ensuring wider access to specialist-led primary care services.
However, the Sri Lanka College of Specialist Family Physicians points out that critical challenges remain.
Stating that the placement and transfer system for Specialist Family Physicians is not yet fully streamlined, leading to underutilization of their expertise and increasing their frustration, it said this has resulted in Specialist Family Physicians migrating to countries such as Australia and the UK, where better career prospects and incentives are available.
“We have to address this issue without delay, before it seriously impacts the quality of care of Sri Lanka’s exemplary primary care system, with consequences to the underserved populations,” it added.
Full statement :
